2007 “Follow the Christ!” District Convention of Jehovah’s Witnesses
1, 2. (a) How did Moses encourage the Israelites to benefit from assembling together? (b) What preparations do we need to begin making now?
1 Moses provided direction for all Israelites and alien residents to assemble together every seven years to have the Law read to them. For what purpose? “In order that they may listen and in order that they may learn.” (Deut. 31:10-12) Jehovah saw the need for assembling his people in large groups. Soon Jehovah’s people will again be assembling for the three-day “Follow the Christ!” District Conventions.
2 Have you started making preparations? Do you need to request time off from your employer? Can you help your Bible students or unbelieving family members to attend the convention with you? Are there others in the congregation who need assistance to attend? Are you planning to attend a convention different from the one to which your congregation is assigned? Will you need a hotel room? The following information will help you to prepare.
3. (a) What fulfillment of Isaiah 25:6 is occurring today? (b) What has been observed regarding the Friday convention attendance, and what should we personally do?
3 Attend All Three Days: Jehovah provides an abundance of spiritual food for his people. (Isa. 25:6) This includes the spiritual banquet served at our annual conventions. It has been observed that the Friday attendance is considerably lower than that on other days. Make it your goal to enjoy all three of the refreshing convention days that Jehovah’s organization has prepared for us! If you need to request time off from your secular employment, make it a matter of prayer. Then ‘muster up boldness’ to talk with your employer as soon as the date of your convention is announced. (1 Thess. 2:2; Neh. 2:4, 5) It may prove helpful to explain to him that your annual convention is part of your worship. Doing this at an early date may make it easier for your employer to make adjustments so as to accommodate your request.
4. How can we prepare our Bible students and unbelieving family members for the convention?
4 Preparing Your Bible Students and Family: What a pleasure it would be to have your Bible students attend the convention at your side, experiencing firsthand the warmth of our Christian brotherhood “in the large congregation”! (Ps. 22:25) Inform them well in advance so that they can set aside the time to attend. Share with them the reasons you personally enjoy attending the conventions. You can prepare the students for what to expect by showing them our videos that contain scenes of previous conventions, especially the video United by Divine Teaching. Let unbelieving family members also know your plans. Perhaps they can arrange to view the drama or attend at least one day of the convention with you.
5, 6. (a) How can we demonstrate the generous spirit referred to at 1 Timothy 6:18? (b) What provision is made for helping some who may need assistance in obtaining accommodations?
5 Assisting Your Brothers and Sisters: The apostle Paul advised those Christians who were rich in a material way “to work at good, to be rich in fine works, to be liberal, ready to share.” (1 Tim. 6:17, 18) We can show the generous spirit that Paul espoused if we consider the situation of the elderly and infirm, those in full-time service, single-parent families, and perhaps others in the congregation who may need assistance to attend the convention. Filling the needs of such ones falls first on relatives in the truth, but the elders and others can show discernment and offer kind assistance as needed.—Gal. 6:10; 1 Tim. 5:4.
6 If someone in the congregation needs help in obtaining accommodations, the Congregation Service Committee should decide if the publisher qualifies to submit a Special Needs Room Request. Before submitting this to the convention’s Rooming Department, the guidelines found on the form and in the December 14, 2006, letter addressed to all bodies of elders should be consulted.
7. What guidelines are provided if we need to attend a convention other than the one to which our congregation is assigned?
7 Attending Another Convention: The March 1, 2007, Watchtower will contain a list of all the conventions in the United States and Canada. If you need the Recommended Lodging List or any additional information for a convention other than the one to which your congregation is assigned, you may write the particular convention, using the address that the congregation secretary will find on the back of the current Special Needs Room Request form. So that the convention headquarters can reply to you, be sure to include a stamped, self-addressed envelope with your letter.
8. What are the directions we are to follow when making hotel reservations? (See the box “Steps in Making Your Hotel Reservation.”)
8 Reserving a Hotel Room: A Recommended Lodging List of available hotels will be posted on the congregation information board at the conclusion of your Service Meeting for the week of January 1. Follow the instructions in the box “Steps in Making Your Hotel Reservation.” If no rooms are available after you have called all the hotels on the list or if you have a problem with a particular hotel, inform your congregation secretary. He should contact the convention Rooming Department, using the information at the top of the list. Do not call the branch office. If the hotels listed are not accepting additional requests, please wait for the congregation to receive a revised list for your convention rather than calling a hotel not on the list.
9, 10. (a) What preparations have been made for us before we arrive at the convention site? (b) How can we show appreciation and gratitude for all the work done in our behalf? (Read Hebrews 13:17.)
9 Cooperate With the Arrangements: When we walk onto the convention site, it is evident that much work has gone into preparing for our arrival. Loving brothers serving as attendants greet us, provide us with programs, and assist us with locating seats. Brothers and sisters have cleaned the facility and arranged a beautiful stage. Vital work has also been accomplished behind the scenes to prepare program parts, negotiate with hotels, and care for numerous details.
10 For each convention, many individuals have been working for months to make the needed arrangements, and their families have also contributed by allowing them the time to care for such important matters. Do we not appreciate the sacrifices that have been made for our personal benefit? We can show our gratitude by complying with the instructions in this article and with any further direction we may receive prior to our convention. (Heb. 13:17) The willing cooperation of everyone makes it possible for all things to “take place decently and by arrangement.”—1 Cor. 14:40.
11. (a) Why are gatherings of Jehovah’s people so important in our time? (b) What can each of us do now?
11 As we “behold the day drawing near,” gatherings of God’s people are all the more important. (Heb. 10:25) At our Christian conventions, the faithful and discreet slave class provides information to help us “take care to carry out all the words” that Jehovah wants us to follow. (Deut. 31:12) Start making plans now to attend all three days of the “Follow the Christ!” District Convention and thereby benefit from all the spiritual instruction and delightful fellowship!
[Box on page 3]
Program Times
Friday and Saturday
9:20 a.m. - 5:05 p.m.
Sunday
9:20 a.m. - 4:10 p.m.
[Box on page 4]
Steps in Making Your Hotel Reservation:
1. Call hotels during regular business hours, using the telephone numbers on the Recommended Lodging List.
2. Inform the hotel that you are attending the convention of Jehovah’s Witnesses.
3. Specify the dates you will check in and check out of the hotel.
4. If no more rooms are available, call another hotel on the list.
5. Do not accept a higher rate than what is shown on the list.
6. Make your reservation, and ask for a confirmation number.
7. Make your deposit by credit card, check, or money order within ten days. Never send cash. If a deposit is made by check or money order, write the confirmation number on the front.
Guidelines to Follow:
◼ Stay only in hotels on the Recommended Lodging List.
◼ Do not call hotels that are not on the list and ask if they have a rate for our convention. Call ONLY hotels on the recommended list.
◼ Hotels are not to begin taking reservations for our conventions before the Service Meeting during the week of January 1, 2007. Do not call for convention reservations prior to this time.
◼ Accept only the room rates shown on the list.
◼ Each room reserved should be in the name of the person who will actually occupy it.
◼ Use the reservation phone numbers on the list. Do not make your hotel reservation online unless the list indicates this should be done.
◼ To comply with fire regulations, do not exceed the number of adults allowed in the hotel room, as shown on the list.
◼ Do not inform your congregation secretary that there are no more rooms available unless you have called ALL the hotels on the list.
◼ Keep your first reservation.—Matt. 5:37.
◼ If you must cancel a reservation, do so as early as possible. Be sure to receive a cancellation number.